


Fifteen-Love

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-06-16
Updated: 2001-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-15 07:57:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14786546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Having almost nothing to do with tennis and rather a lot to do with the trials and tribulations of true love.





	1. Fifteen-Love

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

 

Disclaimer: Heck I wish they were mine. But alas they're not though I lay claim to Jill Caprisi and I suppose to Bryan Kitler. References up to and including any and all of both seasons but no major spoilers past the end of Season 1. It will however make more sense if you read the previous stories in this sequence first. "As You Wish", What You Will" and "World Enough and Time" Thanks as always for your patronage and feedback. �B.G.

**Fifteen-Love Part 1**

**By The Bondi Gargoyle**

"All right, Gentlemen, you're done" Jed Bartlet nodded

"Thank you Mr. President" Leo and Josh replied in unison, rising stiffly to their feet.

Once they were safely outside the Oval Office, Josh glanced at his watch and groaned.

"How long 'til we have to be back?" Leo asked

"Do you really want to know?"

Leo shook his head "You sent Donna home already, right?"

"Yeah. Margaret?"

"Hours ago. It's tempting" Leo said as they stood in the hallway, "to just sleep in my office"

"You have a couch," Josh pointed out "I have to choose between my desk and my bookshelf. Which leads me to once again state that we need to revisit how I got stuck with the worst office of the all the senior staff"

"Right now?" Leo demanded

"No," Josh answered emphatically "Not right now."

"Go home, Josh" Leo patted his shoulder "You did good."

"Thanks Leo."

Josh stumbled back to his office, gathered his things, and wandered to the door on autopilot.

"You want a cab, Mr. Lyman?"

He paused and turned around. The night guard, Gil was looking at him expectantly "You want a cab?"

"I've got my car."

"You sure? Cab'll be here in two minutes"

Josh nodded and put his keys away "Call me a cab"

He half expected Gil to say "Okay you're a cab" but thankfully the man simply dialed the number. True to his word the cab arrived in two minutes. It was just as well, Josh reasoned, since he fell asleep on the short drive home.

"Hey Rip Van Winkle!" The driver reached back and shook him. "You're home."

"Thanks" Josh handed him some money "Keep the change."

Based on the man's grin he suspected it was a bigger tip than he would have offered if he'd been awake.

"What are you, Secretary of the Treasury?" the man asked him.

"No, he's home in bed," Josh grumbled. "I am but a lowly servant of the people."

"Ain't we all!" The cab disappeared into the night and Josh dragged himself up the front steps and then the interior stairway to his apartment.

The last few steps inside were almost the hardest. He dropped his bag from his shoulder to the floor and wandered into the kitchen, rattling around the fridge for a beer. He cracked it open, tossed the cap in the general vicinity of the sink and launched himself toward the couch. He knew he should get to bed, but he wanted a few minutes to himself to decompress otherwise he was going to dream about insurance deregulation. As he stretched out his leg his foot hit something under the coffee table. He nudged it back toward himself and picked it up. It was a shoe, a woman's shoe. To be perfectly accurate, Donna's shoe. He supposed she had left it earlier in the week. Monday night, at his suggestion, she had grabbed a pile of clothes for the week and hung them in the corner of his closet. From there they had slowly migrated to a small pile of laundry on the chair in his bedroom. Not that Josh minded; he liked having her things around him. He liked having her around him even more, however, and felt suddenly very bereft of her presence. Taking the shoe and his beer he wandered toward the bedroom to catch a few hours of sleep. Reaching for the light switch, he stopped himself just in time. The streetlight outside his window cast a faint glow across the room and glinted on her blond hair.

"Donna?" he mouthed. "Stupid question," he told then himself. "Are their other women who are going to end up in your bed?"

She was fast asleep, wearing one of his Redskins T-shirts, one hand stretched out to his side of the bed. Josh lowered himself onto the chair, belatedly thinking that he should have moved her clothes but making no attempt to rectify it. He was quite frankly awe-struck. He had gotten used to Donna being in his bed. In fact he was surprised at how quickly he had gotten used to it, but he had always been in it with her.

Josh took another swallow of beer and studied her. It wasn't the first time he had watched her sleep. He wasn't sure if she was aware of that fact, though he knew she did the same thing in the mornings. He also supposed, since she had no comparisons, that she didn't know that he had started sleeping better since she had begun sharing his bed. He'd always found it difficult to shut his brain down at night and stop thinking long enough to relax. It used to irritate Mandy to no end. She was a light sleeper and she complained that his 'thrashing' as he tried to settle himself woke her back up. Donna was a heavy sleeper and Josh doubted that she'd complain anyway but he found that his insomnia seemed to have abated. After she had fallen asleep, Josh would lie in the dark, holding her close, listening to her breathe. And it seemed to him that the world would fold in on itself. There was no White House, no Capitol Hill, no Washington D.C. All that existed were the four walls around him, the warm bed, and this woman; and the next thing he knew it would be morning.

He glanced out the window and noticed that the far corner of the sky was beginning to lighten. He should get into bed; he should get to sleep. And yet he wasn't quite ready. He wasn't ready to let go of the vision of her in his bed, lest it was just a vision. He stood and moved closer, fighting an urge to touch her and make sure she was real, lest he wake her up. When he had sent her home, he told her that in all likelihood he'd be at the White House all night. The decision the President was struggling with was not an easy one and he wanted Josh and Leo at his side for as long as it took. Donna had nodded, given him a sympathetic look and said something about bringing him a fresh shirt, but by then Leo was calling him back into the Oval Office to answer a question. He knew that she wouldn't mind. She was able to dismiss his distractedness at work as being about work and not the state of their relationship. He had assumed that she would go back to her own place, he saw no reason to expect otherwise. Why would she spend the night alone in his apartment? And yet here she was. He swayed slightly and realized his body was starting to rebel. He should get into bed before he passed out. If Donna woke up and found him asleep on the floor he'd never hear the end of it. Quietly he stripped down to his boxers and pulled back the covers on his side of the bed. He lifted her arm to slide under it and in doing so she woke.

"Josh?" she murmured

"Yeah Honey, it's me" He kissed her forehead gently, wondering when he'd stared talking like a Fifties sitcom.

"Timezit?"

"It's late; or early. Go back to sleep."

" 'Kay" she pressed her self up against him and was instantly asleep again.

Josh kissed her once more, pulled her closer and then he too lost consciousness

When Josh woke up, he was fighting the morning more than usual. As the alarm broke into his three hours of sleep he swatted at it, trying to pry it off the nightstand. (Donna had glued it down months before, when, instead of throwing his clock as he usually did at the wall or the floor, he'd flipped it over his shoulder and broken a window).

"Come on, Babe, I know you don't want to get up but I'm afraid you have to."

The small part of his brain already functioning registered that someone was rubbing his back, that he could smell coffee and that he had just been called 'Babe'.

He rolled over. Donna was sitting on the edge of the bed. She had obviously been awake for a while because she was fully dressed, her hair still damp from the shower.

"Did you just call me 'Babe'?"

"Hey you called me 'Honey' last night," she smiled.

"You heard that huh?" he muttered.

"Come on, you really do have to get up, I reset the alarm to let you sleep a little more but if you don't get into the shower now, you'll be late for morning staff." She held up a cup "Here"

"What's that?"

"Coffee"

He pulled away from it.

"Josh, it's coffee not hemlock"

"What do you know that I don't?"

"A heck of a lot, but none of it from Leo. Are you expecting to get fired?" she put the cup in his hands and stood so he could swing his legs out of bed.

"Always, especially when you bring me coffee"

"We're not at work right now, the rules are a little different at home."

"Are they?"

"Have you ever seen me naked at work?" she asked pointedly.

"'Kay now I'm awake," Josh announced

Donna nodded "I thought that would work. Go get in the shower"

"Are you coming with me?"

"No."

"You're going to make a statement like that, conjure up all kinds of images-"

"Amongst other things"

"Exactly." He advanced on her

"Stay over there," Donna ordered, backing up.

"Why?" He continued to move forward.

"Because you look particularly desirable when you've just woken up" she admitted reaching the door "And because you really don't want to explain why we're both late to Leo." She turned and fled.

Josh laughed somewhat regretfully and went to shower.

His shirt, tie and suit were laid out on the bed when he returned. He dressed with the rapid efficiency known only to politicians, reporters and firefighters.

"Donna, are you still here?" he called out as he pulled on his shoes.

"Uh-huh, I'm going to drive in with you today," she replied.

He walked out, jacket under his arm, tie undone but otherwise complete. Donna was leaning on the kitchen counter, eating a piece of toast and perusing the Post.

"You want some?" she held up the half-eaten slice

"I'm not awake enough to be hungry, I'll grab something at work." He leaned over and kissed her, tasting jam on her lips.

"Strawberry?"

"Raspberry"

"Ah. By the way if you think you're getting away scot-free for that little game this morning you've got another thing coming"

"I brought you coffee," she protested.

"Different arena entirely," Josh shook his head.

"Did you shave?" Donna asked, dragging her knuckles across the light stubble on his jaw.

"I'll shave in the car. How come you're driving in with me? Not that I mind."

"Actually you're driving in with me, though we can take the Saab if you want."

"You think you're driving my Saab?"

"Right Josh, 'cause despite the fact that you've barely slept three hours and you plan to shave on the way there, you're a far superior driver. You know that NOW meeting you want CJ to get you out of, I'm telling her to forget it."

"You still can't drive my car."

"Why not?" Donna demanded, her glare suggesting that she was falling out of love with him by the second

" 'Cause it's at work. I was too tired to drive last night, so I took a taxi. Guess we're taking your car."

"One of these days, Alice!" She did a passable imitation of Ralph Kramden as they headed out the door.

"What did the President decide?" Donna asked as she stopped at a light.

"What would you think about me growing a beard? Josh asked not listening as he ran the electric razor over his face.

"Oh yeah there's a good idea"

"No? What about a moustache?"

"Please tell me this is the sleep deprivation talking."

"You don't think it would make me look distinguished?"

"I think it would make you look even more unkempt than you usually do. What did the President decide?"

"I'll have you know I am regularly complemented on my grooming and style."

"Josh! What did the President decide?"

"Oh he's going to veto it" Josh grumbled

Donna glanced over at him "You must be pleased"

"Yeah I'm just thrilled. I love staying up with the President 'til three am only to have him ignore me."

"You're pleased" Donna repeated unswayed "You disliked that bill from the get-go and all the while that you were laying out the political ramifications you were hoping he'd veto it."

She was right of course but Josh wasn't about to admit that without a fight

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because you got Jed Bartlet elected, not John Hoynes. When you and Leo go into one of those meetings you tell him what he needs to hear in terms of consequences but you want him to go the other way. You just want him to get there on his own."

"Okay" Josh conceded, secretly pleased that she understood him so well. "You're right, I'd rather earn my keep protecting him from the fall out than have an easy week because he signed it."

 

They went through their normal morning rituals, including Josh walking into Senior Staff exactly one step ahead of the President.

"Cutting it a little fine there these days, Bucko" Jed Bartlet commented his eyes twinkling.

For an instant Josh thought the President knew, though that seemed unlikely. The only person who knew was Sam, wasn't it? In fact Donna had been arguing that they needed to tell Leo soon, before they slipped and got caught by someone else and he heard it from another source. Nevertheless the President shot him a look that suggested it was readily apparent. Josh resolved that the time for 'the talk' with his boss had arrived.

"Have you seen Josh?" CJ asked Donna later that afternoon.

"Yea tall, ego the size of the Chrysler building, had his shirt mis-buttoned for most of the morning?" Donna clarified

"That would be him."

"He's over at the Justice Department meeting with Jeff Breckinridge."

"On the Catalano thing?"

"He didn't say but I think so."

CJ nodded and seemed to be eyeing Donna

"Nice day out" she commented conversationally

"It is." Donna finished at the filing cabinet and headed back to her desk, CJ trailing her.

"Feel like coming for a walk?" CJ queried

"What bombshell are you about to drop on me this time?" Donna demanded remembering their last jaunt to the mall

"Nothing. A simple walk, that's all I'm saying. A chance to breathe air that is not re-cycled, to stock up on Vitamin D, to commune with what passes for wildlife in this city"

"Souvenir salesmen, exhausted tourists and over-fed squirrels?

"Come on, I've got a hankering for a sno-cone from the guy by the Smithsonian Carousel."

"Oh fine"

They chatted about inconsequential things until after they'd bought their sno-cones and were walking back

"That's a nice color on you, Donna." CJ observed tugging gently on the lavender blue broadcloth of her friend's sleeve.

"Thanks"

"Whose shirt is it?"

Donna almost choked on the bite of grape-syrup drenched ice she had just put in her mouth.

"What makes you think it's not mine?"

"For a start, it's a man's shirt. Brooks Brothers isn't it?"

"Brooks Brothers makes women's shirts too."

"But the buttons are on the side for a man. You shouldn't have pointed out that Josh mis-buttoned his shirt this morning or I wouldn't have noticed."

"So this was all an elaborate ruse?"

"No," CJ laughed. "I really did want a sno-cone. Whose shirt is it?"

"Take a guess"

"You slept at his place last night?" CJ queried scrutinizing Donna's reaction.

Donna weighed her answer carefully but figured that as CJ Cregg PI had noticed which side her shirt buttoned on then it was pretty inevitable that she had or would figure everything else out.

"I've slept at his place every night this week," Donna admitted.

CJ stopped walking "Starting when?"

"Last Friday night. After Josh talked to you and Sam, he and I talked, which led to... other things."

"I've been extra nice to him all week because of that conversation he had with Sam and me."

"Yeah so have I but I don't think we're talking about the same thing" Donna chuckled.

"You two made up last Friday night?"

"Yeah. What made you think we hadn't?"

"You both seemed kind of edgy on Monday"

"We were worried that everyone was going to figure it out and there was still the problem of what Leo was going to say."

"So who did figure it out?"

"Just Sam and I think that was because Josh did everything short of putting up a billboard. Personally, I thought you'd have guessed"

"It's been a tough week, I've been distracted. What did Leo say?"

"We haven't told him yet."

"Donna!"

"It's been a tough week, we've been distracted."

"Isn't it a bit of a risk then, wearing Josh's shirt to work?"

"It's not like it's monogrammed. I ran out of clean blouses."

"You slept at his place last night?" CJ repeated

"Uh-huh"

"Weren't Josh and Leo up all night with the President?"

"Pretty much."

"You're sleeping in his apartment, alone."

"No he eventually got home, at some ungodly hour this morning"

"You're wearing his clothing"

"CJ"

"You've got it bad." CJ shook her head

"I do not."

"What would you call it?"

Donna thought about it

"Alright fine, I'm hopelessly in love with the architect of the President's secret plan to fight inflation. Happy?"

"Yes, actually" CJ smiled.

"Where have you been?" Josh asked as Donna walked into his office and shut the door.

"CJ and I walked down to the mall for a sno-cone. You need to go see Leo, ASAP."

"Why, is there a national security risk involving sno-cones?"

"Yeah, Josh, we've discovered that global warming is in fact an alien plot to deny the world of popsicles. Look, I'm wearing your shirt."

Josh stared at her "Yes you are. How did I miss that fact?"

"No sleep."

"Right, which I don't think can be blamed for the fact that you're still not making any sense"

"I put your shirt on today because I didn't go back to my apartment last night and I figured I could put on one from my gym locker once I got to work. Only I don't have a clean shirt in my gym locker because Sam accidentally sprayed me with ink last week. So I've had to keep your shirt on all day."

"You're spending too much time with Margaret."

"CJ figured out that it was your shirt, which means Ginger, Bonnie and more importantly Margaret can't be far behind"

"Which is why I need to go see Leo?"

"Yes."

"So I've had three hours sleep. I've got to start working out a strategy for dealing with this veto. The Catalano thing is this close to blowing up in our faces. And now I've got to go tell Leo that you and I are sleeping together and pray that he agrees with your interpretation of FEWSA?"

"Mine and Ainsley's"

"Right"

"If I thought it was safe to put it off-"

"I was going to go see him anyway." Josh smiled, waving away her protest. "I think the President knows."

"How would the President know?"

"Damned if I can figure it out. It's just this look he shot me this morning. It's like he knows. So I'd already decided that this is D-day even before you came in with the alien sno-cone conspiracy "

"Want me to come with you?" she asked gently

Josh shook his head "This is something to be done amongst men"

"What exactly are you planning to tell Leo?"

"Not that!"

"Well you're the one talking like Earnest Hemmingway."

"If you come, Leo's going to think I brought you so that he'd yell less. So he'll just wait until you leave then he'll yell more."

"You're absolutely sure he's going to yell?"

"Yeah if only for the principal of the thing."

"Then good luck, I guess"

"You guess?"

"I don't know. Is that the right thing to say?"

"I'm not sure. Does Miss Manners have a section on this?"

"I seriously doubt it"

"I'll see you in a while" he squeezed her shoulder as he walked past her.

"Come home carrying your shield or on it," Donna called after him.

"Closer," his voice drifted back.

As he stood in front of Leo's office, he mumbled "I can't believe I'm about to tell my boss I'm sleeping with my assistant" to himself just as Leo opened the door

"When did you start talking to yourself?" Leo asked, giving him an odd look

"When did I stop?"

"CJ get asked about the bill?"

"Not yet," Josh followed Leo back into the office "She'll make a statement in about an hour"

"She knows what to say?"

" 'If the Republican leadership are under the delusion they can hold this administration hostage etceteras etceteras' It's CJ, she's got it all under control."

"How'd she do on OPEC?"

"How'd we do on OPEC, she's only as good as the material we give her."

"True enough. Did you want to see me about something?"

"Kind of, is this an okay time?"

"Is it ever?"

"My point exactly," Josh muttered "Last week the thing with Bryan Kitler-"

"Has he been bothering her?" Leo spun around " 'Cause I'll call up some old Air Force buddies who were Rangers..."

"Whoa, Leo. No it's not Kitler, it's me. It's about my over-reaction."

"Josh if you've got the Secret Service tailing her, I really am going to call some old buddies."

"No, I found a simpler way of getting Donna to stop dating D.C.'s least eligible bachelors."

"What's that?" Leo was quickly losing interest. He'd put on his glasses and

was scanning a report.

Josh took a deep breath; it was all he could do not to close his eyes. "I told her I loved her"

Leo took off his glasses and tossed them on the desk. "Josh I know you want to protect Donna, want to keep her away from bastards like Bryan Kitler but messing with her head -"

"No Leo, I mean I admitted that I love her. And she loves me back " Josh added hopefully

Leo stared at him. "Is some kind of a joke?"

Josh shook his head.

"I can ask that again, if you want to change your answer."

"Leo this wasn't-"

"Hang on."

Leo crossed to the door that separated his office from Margaret's. He pulled it open and she stumbled in.

"Did you call me?" Margaret hedged

"Do I need to?" He pointed at Josh "What do you know about this?" he asked his personal assistant

Margaret shook her head "Nothing"

Leo looked mildly surprised "Donna hasn't told you anything?"

"Nope"

Leo glared at Josh "I thought after this week I might get one, you know, slow day before we go into spin mode on the fallout from the veto. Now I've got to restructure the entire office." He sighed. " Margaret who's willing to work with him?"

"Donna."

"Besides Donna."

"Bonnie."

"And?"

"Me?"

"You're not going anywhere. Who else?"

Margaret was silent

"Well we can't put Donna with Toby, they'll come to blows by sunset. What if we put Donna with CJ?"

Margaret nodded, her face creased with concentration "Yeah that'd work. But where are you going to put Carol?"

"With Toby?"

"Carol can't spell."

"Which in Toby's mind is grounds for justifiable homicide. If we put Carol with Sam and Ginger concentrated on Toby..."

"The thing about Ginger and Toby..." Margaret began cautiously

"How about we just leave everything at status quo?" Josh suggested watching them with some amusement.

Leo crossed to his bookshelf and pulled down a hefty volume which Josh knew was one of two volumes which contained the Federal Employees Workplace Standards Act

"Catch" Leo tossed the book with more agility than Josh thought his boss had. The same couldn't be said of Josh's catch. The book slipped through his hands and landed on his foot.

"Don't think you're going to get that football scholarship, Son. I'd tell you to hit the books if you weren't such A COMPLETE IMBECILE!"

"Feel better?" Josh asked picking up the book and skimming for the article and section that he knew they were about to discuss.

"Marginally. Margaret, you can go back to whatever you were doing before you started listening at my door."

"Yeah what did you do before the campaign?" Josh laughed, falling silent as Leo glared at him.

Josh found the page and set the book on the desk "Article seven, Section two"

"That didn't take you long. Can I assume that you're familiar with it?"

"Leo I assure you that this was not something I entered into lightly. I 've been over this in my head a zillion times."

"And yet you still ended up here. Been looking at too many lugwrenchs?"

"Interesting that whenever I screw up we eventually end up talking about Mary Marsh."

"I though John Van Dyke said that"

"Actually Toby said it but it was in the presence of that woman"

"What are you doing Josh?"

"What was I supposed to do, wait eight years?"

"According to this book, yes you were. It's there in black and white."

"It's also an Act of Congress"

"And your point is?"

"We're not legally bound by it, it's a guideline."

"Which is really the message we wanted to flash around by having the Deputy Chief of Staff ignore it"

"I never considered that angle"

"I'll bet. Josh ultimately it's not you that I'm worried about. I know you're not about to sexually harass Donna but if gets out that this thing is open to interpretation, that's all we're going to do all day. We're going to be going case by case with everyone who wants an exemption"

"Is there an epidemic of supervisors wanting to date their direct sub-ordinates?"

"That's one small section. What if it's the woman who wants to switch desks because the man next to her is Asian-American?"

"Appendix A, the old White House policy, does apply directly to us, that would be racial discrimination."

"And the guy who argues that when we tell him he can't refer to his co-worker as a 'dyke', we're infringing on his free speech? Where's that in the Kennedy document?"

"We're Democrats, did we hire people like that?"

"We're Americans, we hired other Americans, over a thousand of them, yeah I think we probably hired people who are homophobic or bigots or sexist or misogynists or whatever. Which is why we have this policy."

"Leo there are people who already assumed that Donna and I were together, it didn't seem to set any kind of precedent for questioning the code."

"It also wasn't true."

Josh nodded, rubbing the back of his neck

"When did you tell her?" Leo asked, his tone less stern

"Last Friday"

This seemed to surprise Leo

"But on Monday, Margaret said she thought that you guys were having some sort of problem born out of the Kitler thing."

"Last Friday we were having any number of problems born of the Kitler thing. Monday we were just having trouble putting on our game faces"

Leo nodded

"Leo if we have to start doing this case by case, I'm willing to take it on, I'll handle it"

"You already have a job and I don't know if, being first exception to the rule, you'd be seen as particularly impartial in dealing with others."

"Yeah"

"Let me think about it"

"Leo-"

"Josh, let me think about it. You're asking me to open a pretty big Pandora's box."

Josh tried to interrupt again but Leo help up his hand

"At the same time, I understand about you and Donna and that the line between work and personal has never been particularly solid for you two. Give me the weekend to think about it"

Donna was in his office trying to update his computer when he got back.

"I swear I don't know how you do it, Josh," she grumbled, "but you've managed to re-label nine out of ten files. This is why you can't find anything."

"He said he'll think about it."

"Is that good or bad?" She looked up at him

"I don't know."

"Nothing we can do at this point."

"No" he sat down in the visitor's chair

"It's going to work out," Donna said reassuringly

"You know what?" Josh smiled at her "It already has"

 


	2. Fifteen-Love 2

 

Disclaimers in Part 1

** Fifteen-Love Part 2 **

By The Bondi Gargoyle

"He said he'll think about it."

"Is that good or bad?" She looked up at him

"I don't know."

"Nothing we can do at this point."

"No" he sat down in the visitor's chair

"It's going to work out," Donna said reassuringly

"You know what?" Josh smiled at her "It already has"

 

Monday morning began with a summons from Leo.

"Go on in" Margaret instructed, "he's waiting."

As Josh put his hand on the door handle, he caught Margaret giving Donna a hopeful thumbs-up in his periphery vision. He tried to take it as a good sign.

"Come in, shut the door" Leo stood as they entered, then came round his desk ushering them onto the couch

"So," he said as he sat down in the armchair. Josh read his boss's face and braced for what was coming

"So," Leo repeated, "I'm sorry."

"Leo-" Josh broke in

"Josh, I've come at this from every angle and while I know you two are a good team and Donna has been responsible for keeping you on track more than once, I can't throw the entire code out the window."

"Am I getting fired?" Donna asked quietly

"No of course not" Leo reassured her "If I was going to fire anyone. It would be him"

"Thanks a lot" Josh grimaced

"Its just that...well isn't Josh my supervisor regardless of where I work in the White House?"

"Almost but here's what we're going to do. You're going to go work for the First Lady. Same building, same pay scale, benefits, privileges but it's a distinct power structure. Lilly's assistant Margo has just gone on maternity leave. So you'll take her spot. When and if Margo comes back we can re-asses this."

"When do I start?"

"Lilly's expecting you sometime this morning."

"And I'm doing what?" Josh asked

"You're getting a temp"

"I'm not that difficult to work with."

"Margaret's going to work on Ginger a little, see if she can be convinced to sign off on you. The problem is that if we pull Ginger out of Communications we have to find someone who's willing to put up with Toby. The two of you are almost more trouble than you're worth"

"This is the only option?" Josh persisted

"No the other option is for you two to go back to a strictly professional relationship" Leo replied quietly, when they remained silent he said: "I'm right in presuming you'd prefer this choice to that?"

They nodded

"Now the other aspect is that I'm not sure it works to anyone's advantage, yours included, to have people aware of why you're being split up. So I'll have Margaret start a rumor that this move was at Donna's request."

"Why would I request to be moved?"

" 'Cause you're sick of him."

"You know Leo, I came to you with this," Josh pointed out, his jaw clenched "Do you have to paint me as the bad guy?

"No Josh, do you think you'll be seen in a better light if we tell people you fired Donna?"

"I'll go pack up my desk." Donna got up

Josh remained on the couch, his head hanging down. He waited 'til Donna had left before glaring at Leo. "Lilly, you had to send her to Lilly"

"I was trying to preserve her pay status. Lilly's assistant is on the same civil service code as yours" Leo growled back "And you started this, Josh, so stop getting mad at me."

"That's as it may be but did you have to assign my girlfriend to work for my ex-girlfriend's best friend and college room-mate?"

"I forgot that it was Mandy who brought Lilly on board" Leo admitted with a laugh "Josh it'll be okay. Just give it time, you'll get used to a new assistant. I'm sure we can get Ginger on side"

"Ginger isn't Donna"

"I know," Leo shrugged, "and I'm sorry."

Josh wandered back to his bullpen feeling decidedly downhearted. He leaned on the partition watching Donna pack

"We could meet for lunch," he suggested.

"Why would I quit then go to lunch with you?"

"I could be trying to talk you out of it"

"I think we'd better wait 'til next week to try that." Donna looked as miserable as he felt

"I'm not giving up on this. I'm going to convince Leo that this was a mistake"

"Go easy on Leo. If you piss him off, he's just going to dig his heels in."

"Stop trying to manage me," Josh teased her. "It's not your job any more"

"Wanna bet?" Donna managed a slight smile, which elicited one from Josh in return "I'll see you later," she whispered, then headed off down the hall

"Where's Donna going?" CJ asked from behind him.

Josh turned around. "To work for Lilly."

"Why?"

"You want the truth or the party line?"

"What's the party line?"

"Cause she's done putting up with me."

"What dumb thing did you do, Josh? I mean seriously, can't you get through two whole weeks before you sabotage yourself?

"Okay well obviously this won't be a stretch for anyone" Josh turned to face CJ "Did I not just make it clear that that's not what's actually going on here?"

"Yes, sorry, you did. What's actually going on?"

"Leo's worried about the precedent. And since Lilly is Mrs. Bartlet's Chief of Staff, as her assistant Donna will keep her current salary and benefits without being under my supervision."

"Oh. Josh isn't Lilly Mandy's-?"

"Yes"

"Sorry"

"You're sorry? I'm the sorriest White House aide since the guy who suggested Lincoln go to the theatre"

"Are you going to be able to cope without Donna?"

"I did okay before."

"Before when?"

"During the campaign when Donna went home to Wisconsin for a few weeks."

"Interesting how your description of those events has changed," CJ observed. "And in truth, Josh, 'okay' wasn't the word I would have picked"

"What word would you have picked?"

"A complete and utter wreck"

"That's more than one word"

"You warranted more than one word."

"Well some of that was trying to go it alone, which won't happen this time. Leo's giving me a temp."

"That should be entertaining."

"Thanks a lot."

"If you had been honest with me, I might have been able to help"

"I wasn't dishonest with you. It's not my fault you have over developed guilt genes. Furthermore, the last time you tried to help, Donna just about murdered me; so you'll understand why you weren't the first person I thought of turning to"

CJ stuck out her tongue at him.

"Right back at you, Claudia Jean"

"Don't look now, here comes your temp."

Josh found himself looking at a small mousy haired woman with a determined expression.

"Mr. Lyman?"

"Look just about everyone calls me 'Josh'"

"So you are Mr. Lyman?"

"Yes"

"Good. I am Celia Havers. I've been assigned to work with you."

"Well welcome to my staff."

"Here are my rules" She handed him a multi-page stapled document.

"Yeah great." Josh rolled it up in his hand without looking at it. "So there's a stack of files that need to be put away and there's some documents that need typing. If you have any questions my door is open. Or you could call Donna Moss up in the First Lady's office"

"Why would I call her?"

"She's my old assistant."

"I don't believe I'll need to consult her," Celia said without inflection

"Right okay, I'll be in my office"

Josh walked in, shutting his door behind him "Leo!" he growled.

"So this is your desk here." Lilly showed Donna around. "I'm through that door and Dr Bartlet is through there"

Donna nodded

"You'll find we're a little more relaxed up here. I mean we run a tight ship but certainly less hollering."

"That'll be nice," said Donna forcing a smile and trying to play her part.

" I'll tell you Donna, I don't know how you put up with him for so long."

"I like a challenge"

"I'm sure you got one. Anyway, welcome to the sane side of the building"

"Donna!" Josh hollered in annoyance as he sifted through the papers on his desk, unable to find the one he needed "Donna where's the thing for Jeff?"

There was no response. Josh walked around his desk to the door

"What, did you trade in carpal tunnel for selective hearing?"

He stopped. Donna wasn't at her desk, Celia Havers was.

"Didn't you hear me shouting?"

"I heard you shouting for Donna," she replied evenly

"I was shouting for my assistant. That would be you."

"My name is Celia"

"Yes"

"Why would I answer if you shout for Donna?"

"Look since before we moved into this building, since the New Hampshire primary I've hollered one word; 'Donna', and someone has come. Couldn't you pretend that it's a code word indicating that I need whoever is at this desk."

"No."

"Celia"

"Mr. Lyman, don't you think talking in codes is a little juvenile?"

"Welcome to the White House"

Leo came to see him that evening

"She quit?"

"I don't know, did she?" Josh replied having no idea what subject they were discussing

" What did you do?"

"What did I do to who? And is there a reason we're talking in questions? Or are you just brushing up on your Tom Stoppard?"

"Listen Guildenstern, how come your temp only lasted one day?"

"Celia quit?" Josh asked, his face lighting up

"That's right."

"Fifteen �Love Lyman." he declared, victoriously

"Why did she quit? What did you do?"

Josh shrugged

"Kay this better not be the beginning of a pattern."

"Leo, the girl was downright weird. I'm sure the next one will be fine"

"First and last warning."

"Do you mind if I go home now? I'd kinda like to see my girlfriend, whom you banished, and try and undo what-ever brainwashing Lilly's attempted over the course of the day"

"Don't think of Donna as banished, think of her as our early �warning system for Abbey's latest crusade."

"I'd rather just think of her as my assistant."

"We call that delusion, Josh, there are treatments available" Leo informed him walking out

 

Josh flicked off the TV and began to pace, glancing at his watch minute to minute. Finally he crossed to the phone and dialed her cel-phone.

"Hi, Josh," she answered, sounding tired.

"Hey. Are you still at work?" He tried to sound casual. He tried not to sound like he was saying 'Where the hell are you? I've been worried sick'

"No I'm at home."

Home. Josh felt the word like a slap.

"At your apartment?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, I should have called"

"It's okay. Are you coming over tonight or can I go ahead and put the chain on the door?" Yeah that was his main concern, the chain.

"I think I'm going to sleep here tonight. I'm... I'm kind of beat."

"Okay. Well I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Goodnight"

"Goodnight"

Josh hung up the phone and stared at it.

"It doesn't mean anything" he told himself " She went home to get clean clothes and check her mail and just couldn't face getting back into the car. It's indicative of absolutely nothing" He just didn't believe it.

 

"Who was that?" Jane asked from behind a book, as Donna walked back into the living room and flopped onto the sofa

"Josh," Donna said, willing herself not to cry.

"What has he done now?" her roommate demanded angrily

"Jane relax, he hasn't done anything."

"Then why do you look ready to burst into tears?"

" I'm just tired, that's all. It's been a long day"

"Tell him to stop working you so hard."

Donna took a deep breath. "I'm not working for Josh anymore, I'm working for the First Lady's Chief of Staff."

Jane studied her suspiciously. "You're not working for Josh, you're sleeping here for the first time in over a week and he hasn't done anything?"

"No."

"Uh-huh"

Donna sighed, "I'm going to bed"

"If he calls back do you want me to wake you up?"

"He won't call."

"Josh calls, on average, twice a night"

"Not tonight."

"Donna I've lived with you since you came to Washington. I speak to Josh more than I do my own mother."

"He won't call again tonight."

"Okay"

Jane watched concerned as Donna shuffled into her room.

Josh tossed and turned.

"This is stupid" he declared aloud. "It's my bed, it's had a variety of women in it and their departure has never cost me any sleep."

Nevertheless he got up, grabbed a pillow and pulled the old Harvard blanket from the corner chair, trying not to notice that tonight there was no laundry on it. He wandered into the living room and settled himself on the couch. After twenty minutes of staring at the ceiling he had to admit that his insomnia was back, worse than ever.

By Friday, Josh had earned himself a new nickname. They were calling him 'The Grizz'. He had gone through three temps and yelled at everyone save Leo and the President. Leo had lectured him twice. Both times Josh had stood staring at the floor, his expression petulant.

"Scaring off the temps is not going to make me bring her back to our side of the building" Leo snarled the second time.

"You know what, Leo, this has nothing to do with where Donna's working!" Josh had growled back

"Then what the hell is making you behave like such a bear?"

"I'm having a bad week. Okay? When Toby acts like this, you ignore it"

"That's 'cause Toby always acts like this."

"Well maybe I'm modeling myself after Toby."

"I really don't need two of you."

"I thought I was already one of the problem children."

"You're all problem children, but up until this week, at least you were all distinct."

Josh sighed. "I'm just having a bad week, Leo. Can we leave it at that?"

Leo scrutinized him but Josh was giving nothing more away.

"Yeah, fine. But stop yelling at the temps"

It was enough for Margaret, Bonnie and Ginger to hold a meeting

"He's working his way down the list toward Alvin" Margaret told them "If we let that happen, Donna's never going to forgive us" She looked pointedly at Ginger.

"Okay fine, I'll go work for Josh. Though when he's like this he scares me more than Toby used to"

"Yeah what do you suppose is going on?" Bonnie asked

"I don't know" Margaret shook her head "But someone needs to take him back in hand."

"I'll try." Ginger sighed

"Do you think you could handle Toby on your own?" Bonnie queried "If I take on Josh, can you deal with Toby?"

"Sure."

"I mean really deal with him. We know your weakness"

Ginger blushed "I'll be fine"

"Fine with what?" Donna joined them.

"Ginger's going to look after Toby on her own and I'm going to take on your previous tormentor," Bonnie explained.

"No, you're not," Donna declared. "For a start I think there still needs to be a buffer between Toby and Ginger."

Ginger started to protest but Donna interrupted

"He's not stupid, Ginger, he's going to figure out how you feel"

"Oh yeah, they're all brilliant" Bonnie agreed facetiously "Just look at Josh."

"Okay, so they're all a little dense on the interpersonal front. But it's a moot point. I'm going to go back to my old job, so the rest of you can just stay put."

Margaret's eyes widened "That's settled, then." She shot Bonnie and Ginger a guarded look

"Well we should get back upstairs" Bonnie said catching the meaning "I'm sure Toby's gratitude at our continued servitude doesn't run to tolerance if he bellows and no-one answers."

"Especially since he doesn't realize how close he came to losing us" Ginger agreed.

Once they were gone Margaret turned to Donna, speaking in harsh whispers

"What do you mean you're going back? Leo hasn't changed his mind"

"Josh and I broke up," Donna said flatly.

"When?"

"Monday."

"What happened?"

But Donna pressed on without elaborating "I'll go to London with the First Lady and the Surgeon General and by the time we get back Josh and I will have been apart for as long as we were together. Leo should be fine with me going back to work at that point"

"I suppose." Margaret shook her head "But will Josh?"

"Yes"

"Donna, I find it a little hard to believe that after all this time you and Josh lasted less than ten days."

"It was a mistake."

 

When Donna arrived back from lunch, Josh was waiting at her desk

"What?" she asked not looking at him.

"What the hell is going on?" he demanded.

"Not here," she mumbled

"Fine. Where?"

"Josh I know you're used to being able to bully Donna but she doesn't work for you anymore," Lilly said in a superior sing song voice as she came out of her office.

"Lilly I know you hate me, I know why you hate me but if I could just implore you to butt out for one more minute."

"Stop bugging my staff, Josh"

Donna grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door.

"Tonight, I'll come over to your apartment tonight" she muttered as she pushed him into the hallway.


	3. Fifteen-Love 3

 

Disclaimers in Part 1

** Fifteen-Love Part 3 **

By The Bondi Gargoyle

Donna grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door.

"Tonight, I'll come over to your apartment tonight" she muttered as she pushed him into the hallway.

 

She used the buzzer. She still had keys but she pressed the small black button next to his apartment number by the front door. Josh released the lock without a word

As she climbed to the third floor landing, he was standing in the doorway of his apartment waiting. Waiting and scowling. When she came to a stop in front of him, he stepped back to allow her to pass, still not saying a thing. He swung the door shut and turned to her. Then he yelled.

"I deserve, at the very least, an explanation of what the hell it is you're doing. After all these years, I think I deserve more than just having you disappear.

"I hardly disappeared. We still work in the same building. I'm up one flight of stairs"

"You stopped sleeping here, you didn't call, you didn't come by my office. You could have been in the Aleutians for all I heard from you. You could have been in Kiribati or Madagascar, never mind one floor up."

"Did you swallow an atlas?"

"Knock it off, Donna. What's going on?"

"I don't think we should see each other anymore"

"You've made that patently clear. Is there some reason that you've decided you hate me or is this just the natural outcome form hanging around with Mandy's old crowd?"

"I meant romantically. I think we should just go back to working together."

There were tears pooling in her eyes.

"Why?" Josh demanded more gently "Just tell me why. I need to know what changed. Did I do something or say something?"

"You said." She choked back a sob. It had been easier when she didn't have to look him in the face "You said, you hadn't told me how you felt because you were afraid Leo would split us up, which is exactly what happened. And you said you'd rather have me by your side at work than... than..."

"Than in my bed on the few nights I wasn't so dog tired that it would make a difference" he finished quietly, rubbing a hand across his face

Donna nodded miserably.

Josh pushed her gently down onto the couch, then sat on the coffee table opposite her.

"Donnatella, let me tell you something that Lilly has probably made all too clear. Your boyfriend is an idiot."

Donna started to say something but Josh put a finger to her lips.

"He is. He says all manner of things that he shouldn't. He told Mary Marsh her God should be indicted for tax-fraud, he told the Vice President that a downed pilot was worth political points, he yelled at the President, in the Oval Office no less."

"Well you weren't quite yourself"

"Fortunately or I'd probably still be looking for a job. But the stupidest thing I ever said was to tell you that."

"You must have given it some thought." Donna protested

"Ill advised at best" Josh reached out and took her hand. "The Thursday night that I sat up with the President proved just how wrong I was."

"You worked late and I watched the news and went to bed."

"Yeah it was the only night that you slept here that we didn't make love" Josh nodded

"And this is a good thing?"

"Listen, making love with you is, well it's extraordinary, but, and don't take this the wrong way, but I've had great sex before."

"There's a right way to take that?"

"Donna that night when I came home and found you here asleep..." he paused trying to find the right words to convey what he was feeling. " It meant more to me than I would have believed possible. Even knowing that I might not come home, this is where you chose to sleep. You were wearing my shirt, in my bed. No-one's ever done that before."

"Mandy never fell asleep alone in your bed before?"

"Yeah, sure, in hotel rooms, but I was always in the room. If she was asleep before I got into bed it was because she'd stretched out waiting for me to finish working or talking on the phone and drifted off. It's never like she went up before me and deliberately chose my room instead of hers. And there was always the expectation that it was about sex. I mean you had to be pretty sure that as late as it was, not much was going to happen."

"I actually thought you'd be at the White House all night."

"So why did you come here?"

Donna shrugged. "I originally just stopped on the way back to my place to pick up clean clothes for you. Once I was here I decided to stay. It felt closer to you."

He moved to the couch and carefully put an arm around her. "That's what I'm talking about. I don't think I've ever had a woman sleep alone in my bed just to feel closer to me. And that's what negates what I said previously. I miss you at work. I miss you like I'm going out of my mind, but I'm not willing to give up having you here for having you back in the bullpen. We're going to figure out a way to convince Leo that this is a mistake but until we do, you'll just have to tolerate Lilly and I'll have to tolerate the temps."

"I really miss you," Donna admitted, putting her arms around him and laying her head against his chest.

He held her close "I know. Me too."

"I thought all I had to do was get past London and then it would start to get easier" she sniffled.

"I don't want being away from you to get easy," he whispered. "Ever"

"Me neither"

"So are we okay?" Josh asked, speaking into her hair "Cause if we're not, tell me. I want to make this right. I'll do whatever it takes to make this right"

"We're okay and I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. Actually, that's not true, I was thinking about how much I hate working for Lilly"

Josh began to laugh. He was still holding her tight against him and she could feel the laughter vibrate down his body. It felt good. Donna concluded that she must have been out of her mind to think she could just walk away from what they had, from what he meant to her.

He began to kiss her, leaning her back along the couch until she came in contact with the pillow and blanket he'd left there. She pulled them out from under her head and looked at them.

"Have you been sleeping out here?"

Josh opened his mouth and closed it again without explanation.

"So no-ones been sleeping in your bed." she said suggestively

"Not this week"

"Let's fix that."

"By the way, I don't think I ever told you, you looked very sexy in my shirt" Josh said later. Donna was lying with her cheek on his chest and he was running his fingers through her hair.

"Well you might get a repeat performance," she offered. "If you're good."

"I think I was pretty good just now."

"And for that you want a reward?" she gave him a 'lotsa luck' glance.

"A guy can try"

"That's one skill you've mastered, Joshua, you are very trying."

"I was thinking," he broached carefully

"Sounds dangerous."

"I was thinking we might go public. If you're okay with that"

"At least we could have lunch together." Donna nodded

"So you'd be willing to consider it? I mean now might be the best time, since you're not currently working for me. No-one needs to know when the relationship started."

"You think people are going to buy that you were so devastated by me quitting that you finally realized you were in love with me?"

"Actually I was kind of casting you as the devastated one."

"Uh-huh"

"I suppose I could manage devastated at a stretch."

"Relax, Barrymore. We both know that people have always speculated"

"Which bothers you."

"Interestingly it bothers me less now that we are actually sleeping together, as long as people like Leo and the President and the other Senior Staff know the truth"

"I promise you they do. So what's the best way to tell people?"

"Leave that to me. Just come get me for lunch on Monday."

"What have you got planned?"

"That's all I'm saying"

"Okay" he smiled at the look of smug satisfaction on her face. He was pretty sure she'd learned the expression from him "I wonder if Margaret's had any luck convincing Ginger to come work for me?"

"She won't" Donna declared

"Why not? I always thought Ginger liked me"

"Ginger does like you. She thinks you're very funny and she liked that you told the Majority Leader where to shove his legislative agenda."

"So what's the problem?"

Donna hesitated

"Donna?"

"Okay Josh if I tell you, it cannot leave this room. You have to absolutely forget I said a word."

"Ginger's a Russian spy?"

"I'm being serious."

"Okay I promise, my lips are sealed"

"She won't come work for you because she doesn't want to leave Toby"

"Why?"

"You're right my boyfriend is an idiot"

"She's in love...with Toby?" he asked in disbelief.

"Josh," Donna said warningly, "there are people who would have said the same thing about me."

"Lilly, for a start."

"Don't go there."

"Donna, Toby's not in love with Ginger"

"I know. Ginger knows too."

"And she's okay with it?"

"Well if you offered her a love potion she'd probably take it but yeah she can live with it. But she's not going to want to go work with you, because then she'll never see Toby. And having tried that this week, it's not something I would recommend"

Josh grinned

"Toby could do a lot worse than Ginger" he pointed out

"Yes but he doesn't see that. Which makes me all the more grateful that you do"

"That I recognize that he could do worse than Ginger?"

"No, that you realized you could do worse than me."

Josh leaned over and kissed her with deep affection then whispered: "I'm just grateful that you haven't figured out that you could do a whole hell of a lot better"

"Hi, Lilly" Josh called with forced cheerfulness as he walked into the Office of the First Lady's Chief of Staff

"What does it take to get rid of you?" Lilly asked resignedly.

"No-ones been able to figure that out yet, and those more evil than you have tried."

"Well I'm glad someone with special skills is on the case"

"You know there are people out there who like me."

"Possibly because they don't know you. What do you want, Josh?"

"I came to invite Donna to join me for lunch over at the Big Dome Diner."

Lilly glanced over at Donna who was finishing up a document.

"Is he bothering you?"

"No more than usual." Donna replied hitting 'save' "Are you okay if I go to lunch now?"

"Sure but you're really going with him?"

"He's paying. Aren't you Josh?"

"Hey my wallet is your wallet."

"Lilly?"

"Sure, go."

Donna got up, slid her chair in and joined them. Then she turned, pushed Josh against the doorframe, leaned over, kissed him hard, stepped back, straightened his tie and said: "Ready?"

"Okay," Josh gasped, trying to catch his breath. "Guess she kind of missed me."

"Let's go, Josh" Donna called from the hallway

"Coming." He smiled at Lilly, who was staring at him open-mouthed and silent, then beat a hasty retreat.

"That was your plan?" he laughed as they headed for the staircase.

"Well it's going to be all over the building by the time we get back. Besides I'm not sure Lilly would have believed it without seeing it with her own eyes."

"Why do you need Lilly, specifically, to believe it?"

"So that she figures out that I'm not on the same side as her and Mandy when it comes to you."

"What's she been saying?"

"Doesn't matter. As far as I'm concerned the only people who get to bad mouth you are me and Leo."

"And occasionally Toby."

"Yes and occasionally Toby"

"Who's that?" Donna stopped dead in her tracks staring at what used to be her desk. Josh followed her gaze to the tall redhead in the short skirt.

"Oh that's Jill"

"Jill. I see and who's Jill exactly?"

"The latest temp."

"Uh-huh"

Jill turned toward them.

"Hi Josh" she waved

Josh waved back 'til Donna took hold of his wrist and forced his hand down

"No."

"Donna..."

"Absolutely not"

"Donna you've got absolutely no cause to be jealous. 'Specially if you keep kissing me like you did upstairs."

"I am not jealous"

"Oh no?"

"No I'm not; but I am not going to put up with the Mandy Hampton appreciation society while you're down here cavorting-"

"Cavorting?"

"Cavorting about with someone who looks like a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model."

"Funny you should mention that"

"She's not?"

"Field and Stream but still..."

"Josh!"

"Look Leo's told me if I go through any more temps I can go with them"

"Fine, I'll take care of this."

"You're going to talk to Leo?"

"I'm going to talk to Margaret."

Josh took hold of her arm. "Come with me."

He dragged her over to where Jill was making a cup of coffee

"You want a cup?" she asked

"Yeah su-" Josh caught Donna's glare "No thanks, we've just had lunch. Jill this is Donna Moss, my partner. Donna, this is Jill Caprisi"

"Hi Donna, very nice to meet you" Jill held out her hand "I've heard a lot about you"

"From Josh?" Donna asked distractedly, her mind replaying what her lover and former boss had said.

"From Josh and from my girlfriend"

"Your what?"

"My girlfriend."

"Jill lives with Kerry Marchant, Ellie's protection" Josh supplied

"Right." Donna nodded, suddenly feeling silly "Hi"

"Hi"

"Josh could I talk to you in your office?"

"Sure"

Josh closed the door behind them, smiling to himself.

"You could have told me that she's gay."

"Donna she could be a raging nymphomaniac and it wouldn't make a difference. I'm in love with you."

"You called me your partner," she said still slightly amazed.

"Isn't that what you are?" he asked softly, putting his arms around her "In every sense of the word."

"You still should have told me that she's gay."

"Don't feel bad, you're nothing compared to Sam. He just about tripped over his tongue."

"He should be careful, Kerry's a judo black belt."

"Not to mention a crack shot. Look Jill is the first person since you who has been competent, social and sane, all at the same time. It's not as good as having you back here but until you come back are you okay with this? Please?"

"Yes, of course I am. Someone has to look after you while I'm in London."

"When do leave?" Josh wracked his brain

"That would be tomorrow morning"

"Damn!"

"What?"

"I have a dinner meeting. I won't be home 'til about eleven."

"I'll be there," she said simply, kissing him lightly and stepping toward the door.

"She's cute" Jill commented coming up beside him as he watched Donna head for the lobby.

"Stay away from my girlfriend, Jill"

"The toaster thing is a myth" she laughed

"All the same"

 

"Working late?" Toby asked leaning on Josh's doorframe.

"Something like that"

"Haven't seen you at your desk this late in a fair while."

"Really?"

"I believe the last time was the night you went nine innings with Bryan Kitler"

"There you go."

"Josh has your girlfriend stared dating again?"

"My girlfriend is in England."

Toby sat down "Why?"

"She went with Abbey and Millicent Griffith to that medical conference."

"How's she liking working for Lilly?"

"She's tolerating it. I guess Lilly was easier to work for when she thought Donna hated me."

"Gotta hand it to Leo, sending Donna to work with Mandy's best friend"

"A coup that only McGarry is capable of."

Toby nodded

"Josh, has Donna been spending a lot of time at your apartment?"

Josh nodded

"You know when Andi moved out I spent the first week at a hotel. Oh I spent the first night at home but I didn't sleep so I moved into a hotel and convinced my brain, that I was on a trip and that she would be home waiting for me when I got back. Even months later I would call out questions to her, forgetting she wasn't just in the other room. Or I would make two cups of coffee or pour two glasses of wine."

"How long were you married?" Josh asked, trying to remember

"Four years"

"Donna and I haven't been together, like this, for four weeks. I should be able to get to sleep without her."

Toby looked sympathetic "Josh, I don't think this something you can measure by Greenwich Mean Time."

"No."

"When does she get home?"

"Tomorrow if they stick to the schedule"

"Come on, we'll go get a drink at the Four Seasons then you can go home and toss and turn 'til it's time for her to get back"

"Thanks"

 

"Well well if it isn't Josh Lyman."

Josh ground his teeth, recognizing the voice that came from above and behind him

"Hello, Kitler" he said coldly

"You think you're so clever don't you, Lyman. You've always thought you were too damn clever," Bryan Kitler came around to before him.

"Hey all I said was 'Hello'"

" You know that bitch Lobo fired me?"

"No kidding?"

"I suppose you had something to do with that."

"Surprisingly little, though I applaud the action."

"Listen you self aggrandizing little prick-"

"You know what Bryan, this is a place where civilized men come to talk. Since you're neither, I suggest you leave." Josh cut him off, his voice soft but unmistakably serious.

Kitler glanced from Josh to Toby who nodded his agreement

"Enjoy your drink" he stepped back into the crowd

"Enjoy your life" Josh returned. He re-focused on Toby and the story his friend had been telling "Okay so how did you get home?"

As Josh walked toward the Metro his mind was on a policy brief he'd been working on, interspersed with wonderings about how Donna was killing time in London. He had already dismissed Bryan Kitler from his mind. As events played out that might have been premature.

Josh didn't even see the first punch. Kitler had been waiting in the alley and caught him square across the jaw, dropping Josh to his knees.

"Well now, Lyman, this kinda changes things doesn't it? Not so confident now that you don't have your bat."

"Beating me up isn't going to change anything," Josh pointed out, getting to his feet.

"Well, it'll make me feel better," Bryan declared, knocking Josh back down.

A small voice in Josh's brain told him to just stay down but he wasn't about to give Kitler the satisfaction. The problem was that his eye was starting to swell shut. Given that he doubted he could beat the larger man in a fight at the best of times, it was unclear to Josh how he was supposed to do it when he couldn't even see the guy.

"And maybe, after I'm done with you, Joshua Lyman, maybe I'll swing by Donna's place, see how she's doing."

"Feel free rearrange my features all you want" Josh muttered staggering once more to his feet "But you go near her and I'll make sure it's the last thing you do."

"Oh yeah, who's going to stop me? You?"

Kitler landed another punch, hitting Josh so hard that he saw stars.

"No but I will" Josh heard rather than saw Toby. Then there was the crunch of bones colliding and a thud as Kitler landed on the ground, clutching his nose and howling in pain.

"Josh, you okay?" Toby picked him up and began to brush him off.

"Do I look okay?"

"You look like raw hamburger"

"That's pretty much how I feel. Are those sirens or is it just my ears ringing?"

Toby turned to look at the police cruiser that had just pulled up

"I believe those might be as the singer said ' the clanging chimes of doom'"

Leo paced back and forth shaking his head. "Brawling in the street like a couple of hoons!"

"Well in all truth Leo, Toby only swung once and Josh didn't swing at all" Sam pointed out

"A public fistfight," Leo continued, ignoring Sam, "between two White House staffers and a Congressional aide. I don't know about the news cycle but I think you two will have won the late night TV circuit."

"What did you want me to do, Leo?" Toby demanded "Let Kitler beat him senseless?"

"You couldn't just call the cops?"

"And do what while we were waiting?"

Leo turned to Josh "You're uncharacteristically quiet. Is that just because you've got nothing to say or because your pride was wounded?"

"It hurts to move my face."

"Well CJ's going to tell the press you were mugged. Hopefully that'll fly."

Josh dropped his eyes

"Look," Sam argued "It's no different than if Josh were mugged and Toby stepped in. It's not like they went cruising for a fight at the Four Seasons. Josh got jumped; Toby came to his aide. No-ones going to charge them with anything and this time, I think we really should charge Kitler with assault."

"And when the base-ball bat story comes to light?"

"It's not justification for what's he's done to Josh."

"Leo" Margaret stuck her head into the office

"What?"

"The First Lady got back ahead of schedule."

"So?"

"So Donna's here looking for Josh."

Josh shook his head violently

"What are you going to do?" Leo looked at him "Avoid her 'til the swelling goes down? Send her in, Margaret"

Margaret stepped back and allowed Donna to enter

"You're back early," Josh said trying to smile and knowing that at best it was a grimace.

"Josh! Oh my god, what happened?" Donna pushed past Toby and Sam to where Josh sat. She touched his bruises carefully, her face a portrait of sympathy.

"He got into a fight with Bryan Kitler" Sam piped up

"Sam!" Josh groaned

"Did you start it?" Donna demanded, looking him in the one eye he could open.

"I didn't even finish it. How come you're back early?"

Donna left the question unanswered. Instead she turned and advanced on Sam

"Samuel Norman Seaborn! What were my parting words to you?"

"You're mad at me?" Sam asked

"What were my parting words?"

"Don't let him get fired or killed while you were gone."

"And?"

"He's neither." Sam glanced at Leo "Is he?"

Leo shook his head resignedly

"See"

"I meant look after him, Sam. I didn't mean don't let him get fired or killed but beaten to a pulp is just fine."

"I went to bail him out."

"You got arrested?" Donna whirled back around to glare at Josh

"Look Donna, free will was not a major part of any of this" Josh moaned pitifully

She shook her head, then her eyes fixed on Leo.

> > "This is your fault," she declared boldly, the instant of fear she had felt upon seeing Josh hurt, turning into anger "I blame you for this."

"So it's my fault that your boyfriend was brawling on the steps of the Four Seasons?"

"Yes."

"She doesn't mean that" Josh leapt out of his chair and tried to pull Donna away from their boss.

"Sure sounds like she does" Leo commented

"You cite protocols and regulations but look what happens when I'm not around."

"Uh-huh. Sam Toby, you're done for the night. Go home."

"Yes, Leo." They chorused "Night Josh, night Donna"

"Hey Toby," Josh called after him, "thanks"

" I wasn't the all-borough golden gloves champ three years in a row for nothing"

"Toby you have hidden depths" Sam noted from the doorway.

"Goodnight, Sam" Leo said meaningfully

"Right, bye."

"As for you two." Leo looked at them "Donna, first thing Monday, clean out your desk"

"Leo for God's sake!" Josh protested. "She's just upset about me!"

"For once in your life, could you let me finish a thought?" Leo glared at him, then turned back to Donna "Clean out your desk and move your stuff back over to the one outside of the human punching bag's office. We'll send Jill up to Lilly in your stead."

"Really?" Donna asked

"Even apart from tonight, Josh without you is a mess, so let's go back to how things were. Whatever's outside of the office, stays outside of the office. Do I make my self clear?"

"Thanks, Leo" Josh said sincerely

"Also every crackpot in our employ who wants dispensation from FEWSA goes on your schedule, and if I hear you've farmed out even one of them..."

"Yes Leo." Josh bit back a smile

"Has a doctor looked at you?"

"I'm fine"

Leo and Donna exchanged a glance

"Take him over to GW on the way home," Leo suggested.

"They ought to be giving him frequent flyer miles" Donna grumbled, gently touching Josh's cheek. He winced involuntarily.

"He told her to clean out her desk?" CJ demanded, aghast.

"Well he was about to surrender you can't blame him for getting in a parting shot or two" Josh allowed. He was lying on CJ's couch Monday afternoon

"And what's happening with Bryan Kitler. Are you pressing charges?"

"Now this is the truly beautiful part. We sent Ainsley to deal with Kitler; Leo wanted it done through the Counsel's office, so she Sam and I headed over to a meeting with Kitler and his lawyer this morning. We walked in, we sat down and Ainsley was the picture perfect Southern Belle. Then, out of nowhere, she suddenly she went to work on him. She told him that she saw evidence of a threat to the President. Obviously Kitler was working his way up the chain of command, next he'd be going after Leo then who knows, throwing Molotov cocktails though the windows of the Oval Office. She said that it was her duty to inform the Secret Service. Maybe they wouldn't find anything; but anything they did find while tearing his life apart would be forwarded to the proper agencies, like, you know, the IRS. That BMW isn't quite the top of the line, but you can see it from there. Hard to explain how he affords it on an aide's salary.

" Then she looked him in the eye and said 'Bryan, here's the thing, you got beat. If you'd been up against Josh, mano-a-mano, you might very well have won. But when you took him on, you took on the West Wing, you took on Toby Ziegler, you took on CJ Cregg, you took on Sam Seaborn, you took on Leo McGarry and you took on me. And against all of us, Bryan, you haven't got a chance. So here's my advice. Fly the white flag; walk away with your head held high. You're not going to make it in Washington. You were a known liability even before Friday night; and as much as many people in this town would like to break Josh Lyman's nose, no one is going to hire you now that you've actually tried it. Putting you on the pay roll is a guaranteed cold shoulder from the White House. And as much as all of us on the other side like to pretend we don't care, we care enough not to do that. And if we care, think how the Democrats are going to react. Pick a new town. Atlanta for instance, have you ever been to Atlanta? A friend of mine at Hastings Beren and Kew told me they're hiring. They've been sued so many times; they're not even going to blink an eye at you. Go to Atlanta, Bryan. Because if you don't, I'm going to come down on you with the full force of the law and that's going to be unpleasant for both of us. Well no wait, it'll be unpleasant for you but since you've inflicted injury on Josh and Donna, both of whom I consider my friends, I'm going to enjoy it.' I'm telling you CJ she was amazing."

"Well I've talked to the Mark and Steve, they're both going to do a small piece on your apparent mugging and Toby coming to your aid, which will hopefully more or less kill this story once and for all."

"Well Toby'll like all of D.C. knowing that I'm in his debt."

"Mark writes for the New York Times, Josh, the whole Eastern Seaboard, actually much of the English speaking world is going to know that you're in Toby's debt"

"You had to pick Mark?"

"Hey you've come out of this just fine."

"Except I can never go to the state of Georgia again"

"Well given how much you whined the last time we were there, I don't see that as much of a hardship. Oh and I have more good news."

"What's that?"

"I was able to reschedule Susan Jakes for the day after tomorrow"

"Susan Jakes from NOW?" Josh sat up, looking perturbed

"That's her."

"The one that hates me?"

"Due mostly to a particularly tasteless joke involving Eleanor Roosevelt and the Archbishop of Canterbury."

"You laughed."

"I'm not related to Eleanor Roosevelt."

"Yeah it would have helped if you or Donna had told me that Susan Jakes was her great niece before that meeting."

"Would have helped if you hadn't made jokes about Eleanor Roosevelt in a meeting with the National Organization of Women." CJ countered

"But you're getting me out of this meeting aren't you?"

"Why would I do that?"

"CJ, you said you would."

"I might have said I'd consider it, before I found out that you were milking my guilt over driving a wedge between you and Donna for all it was worth. Especially since at the time Donna was sleeping at your place."

"We weren't going public"

"Sam knew"

"Sam figured it out."

"Sam?"

"Hey it's as much a surprise to me as anyone."

"Donna suggested that you more or less told him"

"I might have made a comment, for Donna's benefit, that Sam caught onto."

"Uh-huh"

"CJ I was walking around all week with a goofy grin on my face, you couldn't figure it out? What did you think was causing it? The point five of a percent drop in unemployment?"

"It's fine, you don't have to confide in me, Joshua. There is no obligation. Just like I feel in no way obliged to get you out of the NOW meeting."

"Can't we wait until I don't look like this?"

"You might get somewhere on sympathy."

"He's gotten plenty of mileage out of the sympathy angle already" Donna declared walking in and handing Josh a message "Jeff Breckinridge; he wants to know if he can proceed with the course of action you discussed"

" I better go call him" Josh stood up "See if you can talk CJ into letting me out of the NOW meeting," he suggested to Donna.

"And I'm doing that because?"

"Because you love me?"

"Not during office hours I don't"

"Uh-huh" He moved past her, subtly touching her hand as he did. CJ suspected there were many of these small gestures that went on between them over the course of the day.

"But given a certain fondness, there is a milkshake waiting for you on your desk" she called to his retreating back

"Thank you." He stuck his head back in the door and winked at her

"It hurts him to chew" Donna explained to CJ then groaned "Oh God, I do have it bad don't I?"

"In the worst possible way" CJ agreed "But I'm glad"

"Really?"

"Donna you are without a doubt the best thing that could have happened to our Josh"

"Remind him of that occasionally, will you. He keeps telling how much he misses Jill."

"Nothing compared to how much Sam misses Jill."

"Yeah apparently he's been dropping by the First Lady's offices with surprising regularity," confided Donna

"Who told you that?"

"Kerry Marchant. I ran into her at the gym. She was practicing a maneuver that can break at man's arm in six places."

"Pity she wasn't with Josh at the Four Seasons."

"CJ, do you think Leo's okay with all this?"

"I don't think Leo's okay with anyone beating up Josh, and since it was done by the same guy who hurt you, I think it's just as well it was Toby, not Leo, who was there Friday night."

"That's not what I meant"

"I know but I think he's just fine with everything else."

"He called me his partner"

"Leo?"

"Josh"

"C'mon" CJ stood up "Let's go get a sno-cone and you can tell me all about it"


End file.
